Words cannot adequately describe just how amazing of a job Mark and his crew pulled off with our backyard hardscaping project. I avoided our backyard like the plague due to its steep slope, overbearing Leyland cypress trees, and uneven terrain. With young kids, I wanted a space where they could play, ride scooters, and run around without me worrying about them falling over rocks or slipping down the incline. I knew I needed it to change, but I just didn't know how to even begin or what would be the best use of space. From the get go Mark was responsive, communicative and incredibly flexible (in fact I would say he has been the most reliably responsive contractor I've ever worked with). He listened to what our needs were and was an invaluable thought partner who helped us create our design. As a parent himself, he brought a lot of insight into how to make our yard functional and safe for children and kept it all in our budget. Mark and his team worked tirelessly to finish this pretty substantial project before I gave birth and sure enough they finished on schedule (a rarity). We went from rarely using our yard, to spending time out there daily. The final result was everything I could have hoped for and more! I'm so grateful for Living Stone and am looking forward to working with them again on future projects. Thanks again, Mark! read more

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Since the review went public the owners have contacted me and corrected the issue. Updating rating based on that.

A first class operation from beginning to end. Mark was efficient, professional, communicative, and we couldn't be happier with the final job. His team did the entire project in three days, and left the place perfectly tidy. More importantly, the new driveway looks amazing. Thank you so much Mark and his great team. read more

Living Stone Paver Services - Old driveway, terrible condition! - Landscaping Near Me

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We were referred Mark and Living Stone from one of our friends and are so happy we did. Our project was to take about 800sf of pathways that I tried to landscape (with gravel) and replace it with pavers. The process was really simple. We scheduled a walk through with mark. We went over the project and discussed what was possible. He provided some options and pointed us to some paver suppliers to see the stones in person. We picked the color/stone style we liked and told Mark. Once we picked a stone, we scheduled the work to start. First is demo, then grading/base rock followed by compacting and leveling sand. Lastly the pavers go in (this part is the fastest since all of the prep work was so good). Throughout the entire project I could reach out to mark with questions and he was very responsive. His crew was really nice and respectful. They were also really good at what they do! I had a wonderful experience working with them. We love the final product and are so happy with our new pavers/pathways. read more

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Mark and his crew did a fantastic job at helping us transform the outdoor living space. They helped grade the surface, build the retaining wall in the side yard (with Positano Concrete Estate Ashlar), install the artificial grass in the front/side yard and paver walkway (with Belgard Dimension Slab Stone, Victorian color), and add Noiyas Cobbles to meet the fire code in Orinda. All work was done within a short time period, responsive communication, high quality, and reasonable price. We'd get their help again if any future home improvement project. read more

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Loved working with these guys on updating our side yard with some flagstone and gravel. They did a great job. The space is beautiful and makes me so happy to be out there now. read more

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Great service and great results! Definitely recommend this business. Mark was great to work with. The agave and rocks I wanted were difficult to find, but Mark really worked hard to find something I liked. I'm still super happy with this after a year. read more

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Mark and team did a really awesome job. After getting quotes from many companies, Mark was the most educated on our challenges and offered a reasonable quote. He was super communicative and demonstrated he knew what he was doing. No doubt will call him next time we need landscaping work done. Thank you guys! read more

Mark and his crew at Living Stone are top-notch professionals. They took our relatively unruly and big yard and converted it into a beautiful oasis. They took all our design requirements and stayed within budget as well as schedule. read more

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Look no further! We were looking for someone to repave our driveway and patio and rebuild a raised planter bed. Mark from Living Stone was responsive and efficient, offering helpful advice and suggestions we hadn't even thought of. His estimate was competitive (i.e., not the highest) and, very important to us, he was one of the few licensed contractors among those with Yelp reviews. And he lived up to every positive review we had read. Communication was great, the work was top-quality, and his team were totally hard-working and clearly skilled. Mark estimated that it might take 2 or 3 weeks, but they finished in 8 work days! We couldn't be happier with the results. Pardon my lousy photography, but we're delighted to be able to recommend Living Stone. read more

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Mark was great to work with. He responded quickly to my inquiry and came out to discuss the project. I received the quote the same day and we were able to move forward quickly. I had a backyard full of concrete and and astroturf and I wanted to put down some grass for the kids and the dog. His team removed all the concrete and astroturf then installed an irrigation system and laid the sod. After installation Mark followed up to make sure everything was working correctly and the lawn was health. I would recommend Living Stone Services. read more

Living Stone Paver Services - Landscaping Near Me

This was my first major 'adult' homeowner project and Mark and Tiago were wonderful to work with. They tore out the busted up concrete, removed a massive overgrown banana plant, reinforced a fenceline and installed beautiful Catalina Grana victorian pavers (Belgard) and river rock in the front / back yard as well as the side walkway. Couldn't be happier. From the get go, Mark emailed itemized quotes. They were incredibly patient and professional as my ideas evolved and assisted with decisions. It was a super busy & stressful time for me about to start a new job and my dog just tore her acl. They worked within my time frame and were flexible navigating around a plumber who also needed to run a gas line out there. Tiago was consistently overseeing the very hardworking crew and always checked in with me as the project progressed. His ability to troubleshoot the aging shared fenceline likely bought my neighbors and me another 5-10 years before it needs replacement. He even helped out the other neighbors who were concerned about part of their fence. I basically trusted they had my best interests in mind throughout the project. The biggest reason I wanted to own a home was to create an outdoor oasis. I stared at the busted up, weedy concrete and mismatched hardscape for 2 years before I was able to take action. Now there is a beautiful, clean hardscape to work around. Their craftmanship is excellent and numerous neighbors have stopped by to comment on their work. Tiago even surprised me at end with some extra river rock along the fenceline which I loved. My dog and I are excited to landscape now. So grateful for their beautiful work and professionalism. Highest of recommendations. read more

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My husband and I really enjoyed working with Mark and the Living Stone Services team. We were surprised at how quickly they worked (full project complete in 4 business days). The pricing is transparent and Mark is great at communicating throughout the project. We had a first big rain after they installed our drainage and I can confidently say everything is working properly. read more

Living Stone Paver Services - Lodi Pea Gravel to replace asphalt sidewalk - Landscaping Near Me

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I had a wonderful experience with Living Stone Services. Estimated price and project timing was very accurate. I had a beautiful work done on my backyard. We had artificial turf placed on a 24x16 feet space. It was a great customer service and great communication from the first call to the end of the project. I will surely use them again! read more

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We contracted with Living Stone Service to remove our old concrete patio and replace it with stone pavers. We also wanted decomposed granite to cover a fairly large area. We had a couple of estimates and Living Stone was the better option in cost but the estimate provided much more detail. When I talked to Mark I felt like he understood what I was looking and that he was going to give me good service at a reasonable price. Now that the project is complete I can tell you that we were very happy with the experience, workmanship, and communications. His team was hard working and put a lot of effort to do the work right. Mark communicated with me many times giving me options, talking about progress, and explaining what they were doing. Cost of the project was congruent with the estimate although we did opt for more expensive pavers and added a few more things. The think this company offers great work at a good price. I think Mark is straightforward and honest. Our new yard looks amazing. read more

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From the very beginning, Mark was on time for our meetings, always communicative about project details, and easy to work with. Other landscapers I contacted would be late or miss consultations and did not provide a break down of the quote. Mark provided an extremely detailed quote so I knew exactly what I was paying for and how the project would be done. I'm amazed at the quality of the turf he installed - I was hesitant to go with artificial turf but it has improved a lot! It looks real from afar since it has two tones and small blades in between the tall blades and doesn't get super hot in the sun. The final price was above the initial quote but Mark was communicative about the additional charges and upgrades. Overall I am very happy with how it turned out and highly recommend this team! read more

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We purchased our home with a backyard that was less than functional, a huge (ugly) slab of concrete, mulch, and a few plants. Living Stone was able to transform our space, adding a bbq area, new sod across the entire yard, updated sprinkler system, and new plants. The project took about a week and they were incredibly friendly, efficient, and professional. They also did a thorough job of power washing everything before leaving the job. It was also well communicated to us what needed to be done to maintain the space. I would definitely recommend them. read more

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Living Stone Services did an amazing job on my back patio! Quality work at a reasonable price and excellent communication throughout the process. I was so impressed with the work I asked them to fix a drainage issue near the front porch, which was also well done at a reasonable price. I highly recommend and will be using them for future projects! read more

Living Stone Paver Services - New back patio and steps - Landscaping Near Me

Mark was prompt, clear and always available to follow through. They did amazing job. They cleared the site end of the day. Crew was very polite and hardworking. I strongly recommend this company. read more

Hired these guys to redo a portion of my driveway. Competitive pricing. Good communication. Got the job done quick. Inadvertently cut through a communications cable, which was not their fault, and they fixed it immediately without any drama. I will use them again read more

Living Stone Paver Services - Landscaping Near Me

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I'm thrilled with the work that Living Stone did on my front yard after a hit and run driver demolished the existing planters. Quotes were thorough, communication was great, and the new fence looks fantastic. read more

Living Stone Paver Services - Fence, median landscaping - Landscaping Near Me

We had a great experience with Mark and Living Stone Services! Both our front and back yard were in need of some major love. Mark was very easy to communicate with and was able to come out and give us a quote almost immediately. His costs seemed fair, and he did a great job of explaining our options. His team arrived early everyday and worked HARD!They did a complete clean up, installed artificial turf, installed irrigation, installed lighting, planted the new plants we selected and defined the planter beds with pea gravel. The job came in on budget and was finished earlier than we expected! We are so happy with our new yard and are already spending so much more time outside. I'd highly recommend Living Stone Services and will hire them again for any future landscaping needs. read more

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Mark and his team were amazing! They helped us rework our front and back yards after our recent home purchase. The work: They built a new front fence and added planters, added drainage to get rid of flooding, added a beautiful cobblestone walkway and new gate, got rid of an ugly and non-functional cement slab in the front yard, and they added turf to the backyard for our dogs. They also built a large trellis wall in the backyard to help us cover our neighbor's unsightly paint-peeling wall nicely. That wall will be especially beautiful when the climbing flowers they planted for us grow. The effect is stunning all around and we've received multiple compliments from our neighbors. We're completely satisfied with Mark and the team, and we would happily hire them again for any future landscaping work! read more

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I worked with Yardzen on a design and when it came to selecting a contractor, spoke to 5 others before deciding on Mark and his team. What really stood out was their deep knowledge of doing landscape projects (including past Yardzen ones), flexibility and high level of customer service. They were extemely communicative throughout the process and were very throughtful about making recommendations to ensure we kept to budget. The planter was a last minute add and they were quick to source the material which matched our fence perfectly! The whole project took less than a week and it was amazing to see the transformation. Highly recommend this company! read more

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We contacted Mark and his team about a front yard fix. We had some ideas, which he was quick to understand and then offered his own, which were good and worked with our design. He and his team installed beautiful pavers, two sections of artifical turf, an extensive drip system, plants and mulch. The initial quote was reasonable, the final cost was close to it, and any delays in the project were in sourcing materials, not on Living Stone's end. I will absolutely be contacting them again, and recommending them. read more

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Mark did a wonderful job with pavering and designing our front yard. He was very professional and got the job done in timely fashion. He communicated very well and even assisted us in obtaining permit. I highly recommend living stone services for all your landscaping needs. read more

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My brother-in-law reached out for a quote and Mark was very responsive and quick. When discussing the project with him, Mark was very thorough with what will be done. Mark gave us several options are what materials we could choose from while still keeping the project within our budget. Mark and his team did a great job at removing a retainable wall as well as replacing a fence and gate. read more

Mark and his team are the real deal! We had a small job where we needed retaining wall clearance against our steep slope to mount a Powerwall. Mark responded right away to my inquiry on Yelp, and came out soon after. It was great brainstorming how to meet the requirements while also giving us some needed flat space around our foundation that would be nice for other things. So we got the concept fleshed out together, then a few hours later he had a nice quote for us that reflected our conversation perfectly. I liked having a quote, mini-contract and guarantee even on this small 2-day job, it just gave me a sense of confidence/comfort.... anytime something moves on our slope it is potentially a big deal, especially under the driveway which is the bridge to the parking on our roof. Quote was in line with other less professional ones. Originally we were going to start in a weeks or so, but he texted us that he could fit us in that same week. His team showed up on time, and he was actually there, too! He's not just the salesman-front that you never see again. The team seemed happy to be there even in the freezing wet weather, and there was just this nice vibe while they were working. Nice, decent guys! They were done on time and on budget. I wasn't expecting something beautiful out of this -- but we love it! Now thinking of an outdoor workout area there with pull-up/dip bar. Thanks Mark!! We are already thinking about having him back to do something else. Once you find a gem, you want to keep the projects coming! read more

Living Stone Paver Services - Before - Landscaping Near Me

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I spoke to two different companies to get a quote and I selected Living Stone Services over the other company. Mark came out the next day and provided me a written quote that evening. For about $10,000 he power washed the concrete, dug out the dead lawn, put in bender board, fresh redwood mulch, artificial turf, weed barrier and planted over 75 plants. He finished in a week, on time and everything looks amazing! read more

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We set are requirements with Mark and got bid within two days which was very competitive with 3 other bids. The bid was very professional and fully responsive to our request. The work was all completed within a few weeks even though material is in short supply. We had a paver pateo and artificial lawn put in. Crew know what they were doing. read more

Mark and his team were great to work with! They started the job on time, worked through unforeseen problems and completed the job efficiently. His communication was terrific, I look forward to working with Mark again soon on another project, thanks Mark! read more

The property we needed landscaped was built in 1955. Original shrubs, trees, and plants need to be pulled out, trimmed, dug up and hauled away. Then new plants, bark and rock needed to be in place, front, back, and both sides of the house, including a parking strip between the street and the sidewalk. They did an amazing amount of work in a short amount of time, which is what we wanted because the house is going on the market soon. Mark was easy to communicate with, which was very important to us because we are out of town owners. He sent before and after pictures regularly. Overall, we were very please with Living Stone Services. read more